OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new tool available to Nebraska and Iowa veterans will help speed communication with health care providers. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System says its “secure messaging” feature allows veterans to communicate electronically with their doctors. It can be used to ask about appointments, prescriptions and non-urgent health issues.

The VA Department says the tool will help veterans avoid long waits to speak with providers over the phone. The tool is available through an online account at http://www.myhealth.va.gov/

Detectives with the Council Bluffs Police Department are making routine checks of area scrap yards, looking for items of metal which were stolen and may have been unwittingly purchased by the scrap yard operators. Every Friday, Detective Joe Hothersall of the Council Bluffs Police Department stops by the yards and picks up a stack of cards with the identification information and fingerprints of those who that week sold metals to the scrap yard. Hothersall makes sure the cards are filled out correctly. The owners tell him if anyone has dropped off anything suspicious. Police on both sides of the Missouri River say most companies are eager to cooperate.

Most of the scrap yard owners don’t mind the checks, because they don’t want buy stolen scrap metal, a crime which has grown immensely over the past few years. Thefts of copper have been most prominent. A typical air conditioner, according to Hothersall, has about $60 worth of copper inside, that can be ripped out, and sold for scrap.

Omaha and Council Bluffs both have ordinances mandating that recyclers document those who sell them metals. There is interest in both the Iowa Legislature and on the Pottawattamie County Board to require the same thing.

Iowa Representative Clel Baudler, a Republican from Greenfield, said such a measure will likely be introduced early in the 2012 session. Baudler, a former State Trooper, told the Omaha World-Herald  “These thieves will absolutely steal anything. I assume there would be several sponsors, including myself.” Nebraska already has a statewide law, though it may be strengthened this year with a bill to specifically outlaw the sales of sewer grates and manhole covers.

Loren Knauss, member of the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors and former Bluffs police officer, said there is interest in passing a county ordinance similar to the city ordinance that requires the documentation of sellers. The board members have considered such a measure in the past.

A jury in Pottawattamie County deliberated for more than 10 hours Friday, but ultimately handed down a guilty verdict against a man accused of sexually abusing a child. The trial of 47-year Martin Hiatt, from Carter Lake, lasted only two-days. Hiatt was charged with five counts of second-degree sexual abuse and four counts of indecent contact with a child. He was found guilty on three of the second-degree sexual abuse counts and all four counts of indecent contact with a child. Second-degree sexual abuse is a Class B felony and carries a mandatory prison sentence of 25 years. Because the crime is a forcible felony, 70 percent of the sentence – or 17½ years – must be served before Hiatt will be eligible for parole. Hiatt is scheduled to be sentenced March 7, 2012.

Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Dan McGinn said the encounters occurred with the child over a four-year period between 2007 and February 2011. The child — who was not identified because of her age, testified that Hiatt “did bad things” to her, including touching her thigh, breasts and buttocks; the girl said that Hiatt touched her inappropriately on more than 50 occasions.

A fast food restaurant in Council Bluffs became the scene of a fast take down of two suspects wanted by authorities, Friday. Council Bluffs police, Iowa State Patrol troopers and members of the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force all converged on a Burger King restaurant on West Broadway Street just before 1:30-p.m.

According to Council Bluffs Police Capt. Todd Weddum, members of the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force saw a stolen Dodge Ram truck as they were driving around the city looking for wanted subjects. Team members believed a wanted man – Keith Baker – was in the stolen vehicle. As they followed the truck, it turned into the drive-thru at the Burger King. As the driver was ordering, a Council Bluffs police cruiser – driven by Officer R.G. Miller – pulled in front of the truck.

Weddum told the Council Bluffs Daily NonPareil “As the cruiser attempted to block the truck, the driver put it in gear.” Offcier Miller was unable to exit his vehicle before the truck drove onto the hood of the cruiser. Weddum said the passenger side front wheel came to rest inches away from where Miller was sitting, shattering the windshield.

The driver of the truck, 28-year old Roger Madsen, of Council Bluffs, and a passenger in the truck – 27-year old Jeffrey Vosler – left the vehicle and took off running. Weddum said additional officers in the parking lot caught Madsen immediately. Vosler was apprehended a few blocks away.

Ironically, neither of the men was the individual Task Force members were looking for: Keith Baker, but Weddum said Baker and Madsen are “known associates” of the suspect. Madsen had an outstanding warrant for probation violation. He was also arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated assault on a peace officer, first-degree theft and possession of meth. Vosler was arrested on suspicion of eluding and interference with official acts.

Officer Miller was checked out by paramedics at the scene, but refused transport to a hospital. Weddum said the man was shaken up, but otherwise OK.  Metro-area officers are still searching for Baker, who is wanted on felony theft charges. He’s described as a white male, 38 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Baker’s whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP. Callers may remain anonymous and might be eligible for a cash reward.